FIG. 1 depicts a bow and arrow toy (10) according to the prior art. The toy (10) has a bow (20) which consists of upper and lower body sections (24a) and (24b), respectively, which are connected to a middle body section (23) via upper and lower fore tension-string mounts (26a) and (26b), respectively. Central in the middle body section (23) is a handle (22). An elastomeric rear tension string (16) is secured at the top of the upper body section (24a) and at the bottom of the lower body section (24b). Parallel, elastomeric fore tension strings (12a) and (12b) are secured at the outside edges of the upper and lower fore tension-string mounts (26a) and (26b). The rear tension string (16) and the fore tension strings (12a) and (12b) may be made of any suitable elastomeric material such as latex.
The toy (10) shoots an arrow (30) which has a roughly cylindrical elongated shaft (32), a foam tip (34) at the front end of the shaft (32), and three fins (36) projecting laterally outwards at the rear end of the shaft (32). The longitudinal axes of the fins (36) are offset, each at the same angle, relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft (32). Near the fore end of the shaft (32) of the arrow (30) are diametrically opposing engagement wings (18) (only one engagement wing is visible in FIG. 1) which protrude outwards from the shaft (32) and are angled towards the rear end of the shaft (32) so as to provide a crook between each wing (18) and the shaft (32) into which the fore tension strings (12a) and (12b) can be nested, as is depicted in FIG. 1. The fore tension strings (12a) and (12b) are separated by a distance slightly greater than the width of the shaft (32) of the arrow (30).
FIG. 1 depicts a loaded configuration of the bow toy (10) where the rear end of the shaft (32) abuts the rear tension string (16), and fore tension strings (12a) and (12b) are nested in the crooks of the engagement wings (18), i.e., at the inside junctions of the shaft (32) and engagement wings (18). As depicted in FIG. 2, the bow toy (10) is armed by gripping the handle (22) with the right hand (51), gripping the rear end of the arrow's shaft (32) with the left hand (52) with the rear end of the shaft (32) abutting the rear tension string (16), and pulling back the left hand (52) relative to the right hand (51). This increases the length of the rear tension string (16), resulting in increased tension in the rear tension string (16) and a force applied at the rear end of the shaft (32) directed forward along the longitudinal axis of the shaft (32). Drawing the arrow (30) also increases the length of the fore tension strings (12a) and (12b), resulting in increased tensions in the fore tension strings (12a) and (12b) and forward-directed forces applied to the shaft (32) of the arrow (30) via the wings (18).
Upon release of the rear end of the shaft (32), the forward directed forces applied by the rear tension string (16) and the fore tension strings (12a) and (12b) (collectively or generically to be referred to with reference numeral 12) propel the arrow (30) forward, and the arrow (30) is launched from the bow (20) into its trajectory.
It should be noted that a disadvantage of the design of the prior art bow and arrow toy (10) of FIG. 1, is that the loading of the arrow (30) must be accomplished by threading the arrow (30) through the space between the two fore tension strings (12a) and (12b), which is a space only slightly greater than the width of the shaft (32). The difficulty of the threading is compounded by the fact that only one hand (52) is available to hold and orient the arrow (30) since the other hand (51) is holding the bow (20), and the hand (52) holding the arrow (30) is typically holding the arrow (30) at its rear end. Therefore, the shooter (50) must counteract a not-insignificant downwards torque produced by the weight of the shaft (32) and foam tip (32) (and to some extent also the weight of the engagement wings (38)). So loading of the arrow (30) requires time and concentration, and the attention required to load the arrow (30) may be problematic in play battles with the toy (10) where an operator of the toy (10) may wish to fire arrows (30) in rapid succession.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bow and arrow toy with improved ease of loading.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bow and arrow toy with fore and rear tension strings, and particularly doubled fore tension strings, where loading of the arrow does not require a precise orientation of the arrow or a threading maneuver with the arrow.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bow and arrow toy with fore and rear tension strings, where placing and/or the orienting arrow is facilitated by the design of the bow.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bow and arrow toy with fore and rear tension strings where loading of the arrow may be accomplished by a rotation of and/or sweeping motion with the arrow.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bow and arrow toy with fore and rear tension strings where loading and drawing of the arrow may be accomplished in a single easy and natural motion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bow and arrow toy with fore and rear tension strings where wear and tear on the arrow due to launch forces and/or friction with the bow upon launch are reduced.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.